Watchtowers WP 15/11 to 15/26 and fortlets and Fort site and civil settlement of Kösching

Waypoint introductions and full write-ups

1. 1. Watchtowers WP 15/11 to 15/26 and fortlets

   The Altmühl valley in Bavaria is one of Germany's best kept riding secrets, a winding river valley cut deep into Jurassic limestone, lined with juniper heaths, rock towers and castles. Near where the valley meets the Danube, the Roman frontier, the Raetian Limes, ran across the land, and the stretch of watchtowers and small forts numbered WP 15/11 to 15/26 lies in the wooded hills here, between Riedenburg, Dietfurt and the Danube town of Vohburg.

   Read the complete Watchtowers WP 15/11 to 15/26 and fortlets write-up.

   Recorded stop-planning note

   May refer to an earlier itinerary; verify against your selected route before riding.

   Planning note

   Watchtowers WP 15/11 to 15/26 and fortlets is where the day begins. Next is Fort site and civil settlement of Pfoerrin.

2. 2. Fort site and civil settlement of Pfoerrin

   Between Ingolstadt and Kelheim, the Danube flows through a broad, flat valley in Bavaria, with hop gardens, fields of maize and asparagus beds on its banks. Pförring is a small market town on the north bank, with Neustadt an der Donau and Vohburg on the other side. In Roman times, this was the frontier: the Raetian Limes ended at the Danube just downstream, and the Romans built a fort here, known as Celeusum, with a civil settlement outside its walls.

   Read the complete Fort site and civil settlement of Pfoerrin write-up.

   Recorded stop-planning note

   May refer to an earlier itinerary; verify against your selected route before riding.

   Planning note

   Fort site and civil settlement of Pfoerrin comes up about 12 km into the recorded legs. Next is Fort site and civil settlement of Kösching.

3. 3. Fort site and civil settlement of Kösching

   North of the Danube, on the edge of the Franconian Jura, the Romans built a string of forts behind the Raetian frontier to guard the river valley and the roads leading to it. Kösching, today a market town near Ingolstadt, was the site of one of them, an auxiliary fort with a civilian settlement around it, home to craftsmen, traders and the families of soldiers. Little is visible today, as the modern town has grown over it, but the site is part of the UNESCO Frontiers of the Roman Empire. The Danube valley was a busy corridor in Roman times, and remains so today.

   Read the complete Fort site and civil settlement of Kösching write-up.

   Recorded stop-planning note

   May refer to an earlier itinerary; verify against your selected route before riding.

   Planning note

   about 28 km into the recorded legs you reach Fort site and civil settlement of Kösching. Next is back through Fort site and civil settlement of Pfoerrin.

4. 4. back through Fort site and civil settlement of Pfoerrin

   Return visit. Read the place description above.

   Read the complete Fort site and civil settlement of Pfoerrin write-up.

   Recorded stop-planning note

   May refer to an earlier itinerary; verify against your selected route before riding.

   Planning note

   back through Fort site and civil settlement of Pfoerrin, late in the day. Next is Watchtowers WP 15/11 to 15/26 and fortlets.

5. 5. Watchtowers WP 15/11 to 15/26 and fortlets

   Return visit. Read the place description above.

   Read the complete Watchtowers WP 15/11 to 15/26 and fortlets write-up.

   Recorded stop-planning note

   May refer to an earlier itinerary; verify against your selected route before riding.

   Planning note

   Back at Watchtowers WP 15/11 to 15/26 and fortlets. That is the ride.